A feeding and weight chart is the simplest tool you can keep — it turns "the birds look fine" into a number you can compare week by week. When your flock tracks the chart, things are going right; when it drifts, something is wrong and you catch it early enough to fix. Here's a practical chart and how to use it.

1. Weekly weight targets

These are planning ranges for a well-managed broiler flock (typical of Cobb and Ross birds under good conditions). Treat them as a guide, not a promise — breed, feed quality, temperature and health all move the numbers.

  • Week 1: 160–180 g
  • Week 2: 400–450 g
  • Week 3: 750–850 g
  • Week 4: 1.2–1.4 kg
  • Week 5: 1.7–1.9 kg
  • Week 6: 2.2–2.5 kg
  • Week 7: 2.7–3.0 kg
  • Week 8: 3.2–3.5 kg

Most Nigerian producers target market weight around 2–2.5 kg live weight, which a good flock reaches by six to seven weeks. Going longer than that usually means paying extra feed for weight the market won't reward.

2. Feed stages and protein levels

  • Starter (0–3 weeks): high protein, roughly 22–24% protein.
  • Finisher (4 weeks to market): roughly 17–18% protein.

Feed and clean water should be available at all times — broilers grow on constant intake, and a day of restricted feed shows up as a slower week on the chart.

3. Watch feed conversion

Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is how much feed it takes to add a kilogram of weight. A good flock runs roughly 1.6–1.8 by market age. A rising FCR is your earliest warning of disease, poor feed or heat stress — investigate before it becomes a loss.

4. How to use the chart

  • Weigh a sample of birds (not just the biggest) weekly on the same day.
  • Compare the average against the chart — small gaps are normal, big gaps are not.
  • If the flock is underweight, check feed quality, water, stocking density (how many birds you keep in the space) and health first.
  • Track feed consumed against weight gained to catch a rising FCR early.

For the full production cycle, see our broiler production guide, and to cut the feed bill, see how to formulate cheaper poultry feed in Nigeria. Quick questions? Start with the broiler farming FAQs.

Key takeaways

  • Aim for 2–2.5 kg live weight by six to seven weeks.
  • Feed a high-protein starter, then a finisher.
  • Watch FCR (1.6–1.8 is good) as your early warning.
  • Weigh a sample weekly and act on gaps.